News

Hands Off Bicol People’s Lawyer Atty. Bart Rayco!

At approximately 6:00 a.m. today, staff at Jollikod, a local eatery in Legazpi City owned by the family of Atty. Bartolome “Bart” Rayco, discovered two bullets ominously left at the entrance. The bullets were bound with black ribbons, one tethered to a piece of stone wrapped in paper and plastic. The paper contained a threatening message that read: “Atty. Bart Rayco MALAPIT KA NA!!” (Atty. Bart Rayco, your end is near!!!). Earlier, witnesses reported seeing unidentified men on a motorcycle stop outside the premises at around 4:00 a.m.

| Aug 28, 2026

Jun 2026 1

On the Denial of the Petition Challenging the Terrorist Designation of Cordillera Peoples Alliance Leaders and the Constitutionality of the Anti-Terrorism Act

By

The petitioners, all respected advocates for indigenous peoples’ rights and self-determination, sought judicial review of their designation as terrorists by the Anti-Terrorism Council (ATC) in 2023. Their petition constituted the first—and, to our knowledge, remains the only—as-applied constitutional challenge to the ATC’s power to designate individuals and organizations as terrorists under the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020.

May 2026 29

NUPL Demands Investigation and Accountability for PNP Davao Oriental’s Arbitrary “Active Wanted Persons” Labeling of Southern Mindanao Rights Defenders

By

On May 27, 2026, the PNP Cateel station posted on its official Facebook page the photographs of KARAPATAN-Southern Mindanao Region Deputy Secretary General Grecian Gasoy, along with known rights leaders from Kabataan Partylist and Gabriela Youth, with captions suggesting criminal liability. The posts have since been taken down, but their removal does not erase the danger they created, nor the accountability that must follow.

Share This